Adapter for liquid supply means

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to auxiliary devices for a liquid supply means. The adapter with a liquid supply single channel consists of the upper component provided with the connection element and the portion of the single channel located in the upper component, and the lower component, which is provided with the ascending and the descending longitudinal pass-through portions of the single channel, the throttling means and the air gap. The portion of the single channel of the upper component is formed by assembling the connection element of the upper component to the lower component. A part of the single channel consists of the ascending longitudinal channel portion and the portion of the single channel located in the upper component and allows for the throughput of liquid to the throttling means at a uniform rate. The ascending longitudinal channel portion and the channel portion of the upper component which are in fluid communication with each other have a preferably identical cross-section. The connection element of the upper component is made in the form of an arc-shaped recess located inside the upper component. The external upper surface of the lower component has a protrusion which follows the shape of the recess, with the groove along the entire length of the protrusion, that follows the shape of the protrusion and limited by two side walls. The portion of the single channel located in the upper component is formed by connecting the upper and the lower components by internal free space of the upper component recess and the groove of the lower component protrusion and is predominantly arc-shaped.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to auxiliary devices for liquid supply means, e. g., for purified liquid faucet or for purified liquid supply line mixer, which are preferably used in liquid treatment systems, such as reverse osmosis liquid purification systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adapter for the liquid supply means according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,891 [IPC F16K 24/00, published on Jun. 19, 1984] is known from the state of the art. Adapter consists of an upper and a lower components. An upper component is made in the form of a plug with the spherical shaped cavity, and a lower component is formed by the tube for ascending liquid flow and the tube for descending liquid flow. Both tubes have straight and curved sections. The diameter of the tube for ascending liquid flow is less than the diameter of the tube for descending liquid flow. The straight section of the tube for ascending liquid flow is inserted into the straight section of the tube for descending liquid flow. The connection point of the tubes is welded. Height of the tube for descending liquid flow exceeds height of the tube for ascending liquid flow. Height of the spherical shaped cavity of an upper component exceeds height of the tube for ascending liquid flow. An upper component is inserted into the tube for descending liquid flow. Since height of the tube for ascending liquid flow is less than height of the spherical shaped cavity, so outlet of the tube for ascending liquid flow, coming out into the cavity remains opened for liquid passage. As result of connecting an upper and a lower components a closed cavity is formed in the upper part of the lower component around the open outlet of the tube for ascending liquid flow.

An air gap is made in an upper component as four through holes separated by thin walls.

This adapter provides liquid flow as follows: the liquid flows through the tube for ascending liquid flow and from the open outlet communicating with the cavity, flows through the closed cavity, formed in an upper part of a lower component around the open outlet of the tube for ascending liquid flow, to the tube for descending liquid flow and flows out from the adapter through the open end of the tube for descending liquid flow.

The main disadvantage of the above described adapter for liquid supply means is that the tube for ascending liquid flow protrudes into closed cavity, formed in an upper part of a lower component around open end of the tube for ascending liquid flow. Thus the liquid flow effluent from opened outlet of the tube for ascending liquid flow will be turbulent. Also, both tubes of the lower component are bent to the point of their connection. Both factors described above lead to nonuniform liquid flow, which creates an increased noise level during the adapter operation, also, due to nonuniformity of liquid flow, a liquid stagnancy region formed at the connection point of two tubes. This liquid stagnancy region is a source of potential danger for the consumer due to the possible microbiological contamination progression. Also, due to the runout of the materials, loss of sealing as well as leakage of contaminated liquid are possible.

These disadvantages are partially eliminated when straight tubes are used in an adapters for the liquid supply means.

Adapter for the liquid supply means according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,638 [IPC F16K 24/00, published on Jul. 6, 1976] is known from the state of the art. Adapter with the liquid supply single channel consists of a body and two tubes with different diameters. The tube with a smaller diameter is inserted into the tube with a larger diameter. The tube with a smaller diameter is made with a U-shaped bend located close to connection point with the tube with a larger diameter. The liquid supply single channel is formed by connecting of two tubes and has three sections: an ascending portion with a smaller cross-section formed by a straight portion of a tube with a smaller diameter, an upper portion with a U-shaped bend formed by a U-shaped bend portion of a tube with a smaller diameter, and a descending portion with a large cross-section formed by a tube with a larger diameter. In this case, a tube with a smaller diameter simultaneously performes the function of a throttling means.

Present adapter provides flow of liquid as follows: liquid flows along an ascending portion of a liquid supply single channel, passes throught an upper portion with a U-shaped bend, and with a reduced speed passes throught a descending portion of a liquid supply single channel.

Adapter with the liquid supply single channel according to U.S. Pat. No. 8,733,386 [IPC E03C 1/10, published on May 27, 2014] consists of three main details: an upper and a lower tubes, and a hollow tube with a U-shaped bend that is inserted into the body. Two vertical hollow tubes are made in an upper component, an air gap made in the form of a hole is located in one of them. One end of a hollow tube with a U-shaped bend is inserted into the top of one of the hollow tubes of an upper component, the second end of the hollow tube with a U-shaped bend is inserted into the top of the second hollow tube of an upper component. A lower component has two hollow tubes that are longer than the length of the hollow tubes of an upper component but with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the hollow tubes of an upper component. The diameter of a hollow tube with a U-shaped bend is less than the diameter of the hollow tubes of a lower component. The hollow tube with a U-shaped bend is a throttling means.

The liquid supply single channel is formed by connecting an upper component with a hollow tube to a U-shaped bend inserted into it and a lower component. An upper ends of tubes of a lower component are inserted into a lower ends of the tubes of an upper component and as a result the liquid supply single channel with a U-shaped bend is formed. It consists of an ascending longitudinal portion, portion with a U-shaped bend and a descending longitudinal portion.

Present adapter provides the following liquid flow: liquid enters an ascending portion of a liquid supply single channel and passes a U-shaped bend with an increased speed and exits from the adapter through the descending portion of the liquid supply single channel.

The main detriment of the adapters according to patents U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,638 [published on Jul. 6, 1976] and U.S. Pat. No. 8,733,386 [published on May 27, 2014] is that an ascending and a descending longitudinal portions of a liquid supply single channel are made of different materials, and the adapters consist of more than two parts. This leads to the fact that the oscillatory movements of the parts relative to each other occurring during the liquid flow through the adapter, become a source of noise and vibration.

Adapter for the liquid supply means according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,209 [IPC E03C 1/10, published on Feb. 2, 1999] is known from the state of the art and is selected by the Applicant as the closest analogue.

Adapter for a liquid supply means with a liquid supply single channel consists of an upper component with a connecting element with a single channel portion disposed into it and a lower component having a single channel with an ascending and a descending longitudinal pass-through portions, a throttling means and an air gap. A single channel portion of an upper component is formed by junction of the connecting element of an upper component with a lower component. The connecting element of an upper component is made in the form of two C-shaped protrusions arranged symmetrically to each other on the lower surface of an upper component adjoining to the upper surface of a lower component. The diameter of the C-shaped protrusions coincides with the diameter of an ascending longitudinal pass-through portion output and a descending longitudinal pass-through portion input located on the external upper surface of a lower component of the adapter. When connecting an upper and a lower components, one of the C-shaped protrusions is connected to the outlet of an ascending longitudinal pass-through portion, and the second C-shaped protrusion is connected to the inlet of a descending longitudinal pass-through portion. The liquid supply single channel is formed by connecting an upper and a lower components of the adapter. The formed part of the channel of an upper component has a rectangular shape.

The throttling means is a separate detail, and is made in the form of a focusing ring with a hole for liquid. The hole is located in the center, and the diameter of a hole is much smaller than the diameter of the focusing ring. The throttling means is inserted into a descending longitudinal pass-through portion of the channel before an upper and a lower coponents are connected to each other.

The air gap is represented by a through hole located in the descending longitudinal pass-through portion of the channel.

The detriment of this invention, described as the closest analogue is that, when assembling the device, the diameter of the cross-section of the liquid supply single channel is drastically changing along its length, which leads to a change in the flow velocity. The cross section of the formed section of the single channel of an upper component has a rectangular profile. The liquid entering the adapter strikes against the top wall of the rectangular section and the direction of the flow changes abruptly. Changing of liquid flow rate with simultaneous changing of the flow direction leads to noise and vibration and also increases the possibility of a turbulent mode.

The object of the invention and the technical result achieved with the use of the invention is to develop the adapter for a liquid supply means to simultaneously reduce the noise level and the vibration that occurs during liquid flow through the adapter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention and the technical result by using the adapter for liquid supply means is achieved by the adapter for liquid supply means with a liquid supply single channel consisting of the upper component provided with the connection element and a portion of the single channel located in the upper component, and the lower component, which is provided with the ascending and the descending longitudinal pass-through portions of the single channel, the throttling means and the air gap, the portion of the single channel of the upper component is formed by assembling the connection element of the upper component to the lower component, and a part of the single channel consisting of the ascending longitudinal channel portion and the single channel portion of the upper component, configured to provide liquid throughput to the throttling means with a uniform rate, in addition the ascending longitudinal channel portion and the channel portion located in the upper component which are in fluid communication with each other have a preferably identical cross section, and the connection element of the upper component is made in the form of an arc-shaped recess located inside the upper component, external upper surface of the lower component has a protrusion which follows the shape of the recess, with the groove along the entire length of the protrusion, that follows the shape of the protrusion and limited by two side walls, and the single channel portion located in the upper component is formed by connecting the upper and the lower components by internal free space of the upper component recess and the groove of the lower component protrusion, and is predominantly arc-shaped, and by assembling the upper and the lower components connected with each other the recess and the groove simultaneously performs a function of the fixing means of the upper and the lower components to each other, and the recess of the upper component, the protrusion with the groove executed along the entire length of the protrusion and limited by two side walls, the throttling means and the air gap of the lower component communicating with the throttling means are formed during the upper and the lower components molding process, and the throttling means is executed as pass-through opening which is in communication with the descending portion of the liquid supply single channel through the air gap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Essence of the invention is explained in greater details in the drawings in which

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of adapter for liquid supply means, performed as tap for purified liquid.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of adapter for liquid supply means, performed as faucet with purified liquid supply line.

FIG. 3 depicts cross-section view of single channel of the upper component depicted in the FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 depicts three-dimensional image of the upper surface of the lower component with the protrusion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Adapter 1 for liquid supply means consists of the upper component 2 and the lower component 3 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The upper component 2 is provided with the arc-shaped recess 4 which is formed during the upper component 2 molding process (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The lower component 3 is provided with the ascending 7 and the descending 8 longitudinal pass-through portions of the liquid supply single channel. The external upper surface of the lower component 3 has the protrusion 5 which follows the shape of the recess 4 (FIGS. 1 and 2) with the groove 6 (FIGS. 3 and 4) along the entire length of the protrusion 5 that follows the shape of the protrusion 5 (FIG. 4), and limited by two side walls 13 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

The portion 9 of the single channel of the upper component 2 is formed by connecting the upper component 2 and the lower component 3 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). When connecting of two components, the side walls 13 of the protrusion 5 (FIG. 4) engage in the recess 4 of the upper component 2 (FIGS. 1 and 2). As far as the height of the side walls 13 of the protrusion 5 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is less then height of the recess 4, the portion 9 of the single channel of the upper component 2 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) is formed by inner free space of the recess 4 and the groove 6, and cross-section of the portion 9 of the single channel has an oval shape (FIG. 3). As the recess 4 of the upper component 2 has an arc-shaped form (FIG. 2), and the protrusion 5 with the groove 6 (FIG. 4) follows the shape of the recess 4, so formed portion of the single channel of the upper component 2 also takes on an arc-shaped form (FIGS. 1 and 2). Formed portion 9 of the single channel of the upper component 2 is in the liquid communication with the ascending longitudinal portion 7 of the single channel of the lower component 3 and the cross-section diameter of the portion 9 of the single channel can be several millimeters more or less than cross-section diameter of the ascending longitudinal portion 7 of the single channel of the lower component 3 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

Therefore, liquid supply single channel formed in the adapter has a part that consists of the ascending longitudinal portion 7 and the portion 9 of the single channel of the upper component 2 where cross-section of the channel mostly does not change along the whole length of the indicated part. Besides formed portion 9 of the single channel of the upper component 2 has an arc-shaped form, and as opposed to the closest analogue solution, transition from one portion of the channel to the other passes smoothly without abrupt changes of the channel cross-section. This allows to avoid abrupt liquid blow against the walls of the single channel and provide uniform rate of the liquid along the indicated part of the single channel. Indicated above construction of the adapter with formed liquid supply single channel leads to simultaneous decrease of noise and vibration when liquid passes along the single channel and also to decrease of potential turbulent mode.

The throttling means 10 is located in the lower component 3. The throttling means 10 is made in the form of through passage which communicates with the descending longitudinal portion 8 of liquid supply single channel through the air gap 11 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The air gap 11 is made in the form of horizontal recess in the descending longitudinal portion 8 of liquid supply single channel (FIGS. 1 and 2) and communicates with the throttling means 10 from one side and with the descending longitudinal portion 8 of liquid supply single channel from the other side (FIGS. 1 and 2).

Opposed to the closest analogue solution, where a throttling means is executed as separate part, the throttling means 10 in claimed invention is a part of the lower component 3.

It should be noted that the recess 4 of the upper component 2, the protrusion 5 with the groove 6 (FIGS. 3 and 4) executed along the whole length of the protrusion 5 and limited by the side walls 13, the throttling means 10, and the air gap 11 of the lower component 3 communicating with the throttling means 10 are formed during the molding process of the upper 2 and the lower 3 components. As a result noise and vibration additionally decrease during liquid supplying through the single channel, also adapter assembling performed faster and easier.

By means of connection of the recess 4 of the upper component 2 and the protrusion 5 of the lower component 3 is provided the additional fixation of two components before their welding or gluing. The upper 2 and the lower 3 components after assembling are welded or glued with each other using for example, cyanoacrylate cement.

Components glued to each other can be placed into the housing 12 (FIG. 1). FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the adapter 1 for liquid supply means executed as purified liquid tap (not presented in figures), where the ascending 7 and the descending 8 longitudinal pass-through portions stands proud from external lower surface of the lower component 3 for convenience of mounting pipes for liquid where the upper 2 and the lower 3 components of the adapter can be executed predominantly in cylindrical shape.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of the adapter 1 for liquid supply means executed as faucet with purified liquid supply line (not depicted in the figure), where length of the adapter much more exceeds it's width. As opposed to the adapter's embodiment depicted in the FIG. 1, the upper 2 and the lower 3 components of the adapter are, for example, arc-shaped or S-shaped in cross-section.

Within the features of invention the adapter described above functions as follows.

Liquid flows along the ascending longitudinal pass-through portion 7 of the single channel, then passes the portion 9 of the single channel of the upper component 2. The cross-section of the portion 9 is predominantly the same as the cross-section of the ascending longitudinal pass-through portion 7. And then liquid with increased rate passes through the throttling means 10, executed, for example, as the throughway opening. Then liquid passes through the air gap 11 to the descending longitudinal pass-through portion 8 of the liquid supply single channel and comes out of the adapter 1.

The description of the present invention submits a preferred embodiment of the invention. It can be changed within the claimed set of the claims, so the wide use of the invention is possible. 

1. Adapter for liquid supply means with the single channel for liquid supply means, consisting of the upper component provided with the connection element and the portion of the single channel located in the upper component, and the lower component, which is provided with the ascending and the descending longitudinal pass-through portions of the single channel, the throttling means and the air gap, the portion of the single channel of the upper component is formed by assembling the connection element of the upper component to the lower component, characterized in that a part of the single channel consisting of the ascending longitudinal channel portion and the portion of the single channel located in the upper component, configured so that allows for the throughput of liquid to the throttling means at a uniform rate, in addition the ascending longitudinal portion of the single channel and the channel portion of the upper component which are in fluid communication with each other have a preferably identical cross-section, and the connection element of the upper component is made in the form of an arc-shaped recess located inside the upper component, external upper surface of the lower component has the protrusion which follows the shape of the recess, with the groove along the entire length of the protrusion which follows the shape of the protrusion and being limited by two side walls, and the portion of the single channel located in the upper component is formed by connecting the upper and the lower components by internal free space of the upper component recess and the groove of the lower component protrusion and is predominantly arc-shaped.
 2. Adapter for liquid supply means according to claim 1 characterized in that when connecting the upper and the lower components, connected with each other the recess and the groove simultaneously performs a function of the fixing means of the upper and the lower components to each other.
 3. Adapter for liquid supply means according to claim 1 characterized in that the recess of the upper component, the protrusion with the groove executed along the entire length of the protrusion, limited by two side walls, the throttling means and the air gap of the lower component communicating with the throttling means are formed during the upper and the lower components molding process.
 4. Adapter for liquid supply means according to claim 1 characterized in that the throttling means is executed as pass-through opening which is in communication with the descending portion of the liquid supply single channel through the air gap. 